1. Technical Field
The present invention is generally directed to compositions and methods related to tobacco plants having reduced nicotine demethylase activity.
2. Background Information
Tobacco plants are known to N-demethylate nicotine to form nornicotine, a secondary alkaloid known to be a precursor for the microbial-mediated formation of N-Nitrosonornicotine (hereinafter, “NNN”) in cured leaves. The N-demethylation reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme nicotine demethylase (NDM). Current methods to reduce the conversion of the substrate nicotine to the product nornicotine in tobacco have utilized screening to eliminate converter plants from foundation seed lots that are used for commercial seed production. Seed produced directly from screened seed, however, still contains converters.